Yun Hojung: "Participation of Other Parties in Proportional Alliance Must Be Confirmed by the 18th"

"No greed to increase seats, participated in proportional alliance party... Democratic Party candidates placed in lower winning order"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Wondara] Yoon Ho-jung, Secretary General of the Democratic Party of Korea, stated that other parties and political forces such as the Minsheng Party and the Green Party must finalize their participation in the progressive camp's proportional representation coalition party by the 18th. He also reaffirmed the plan to place Democratic Party proportional representation candidates in the lower ranks of the winning list if the coalition party is formed.

On the afternoon of the 15th, Secretary General Yoon held a press briefing at the National Assembly regarding the proportional representation coalition party and said, "Since candidates must be nominated by participating parties, the scope of participating parties in the (proportional representation coalition) party must be finalized by Wednesday (the 18th)." He explained, "As recommended by the National Election Commission, a certain democratic procedure is necessary in the proportional representation selection process, so we aim to complete the participating parties and platform by Wednesday."

Regarding the Minsheng Party, a parliamentary party that has not expressed its intention to participate, he said, "The proportional representation nomination management committee has not yet been formed, and the party decision-making process seems to be very delayed," adding, "I think we cannot wait indefinitely for the Minsheng Party's decision." He also said, "We have asked the Minsheng Party to inform us of their position by Monday (the 16th), so we plan to wait until Monday."

Regarding the Justice Party, which has stated it will not participate, he said, "We believe we must respect the Justice Party's decision," and added, "Since the Justice Party is already a parliamentary party, we see this as opening opportunities for many small non-parliamentary parties that have not yet entered the National Assembly to collaborate with the Democratic Party."

However, when asked whether there is a possibility that parties like the Minjung Party, which pursue different policy directions, cannot join together, he answered, "Yes." When asked whether the Democratic Party cannot decide on each party's participation since the platform party is not the Democratic Party, he said, "It will require mutual consultation," and added, "We will work with parties that have policy areas to jointly promote over the four years of the 21st National Assembly," withholding further comment.

Regarding the possibility of dispatching incumbent lawmakers to the proportional representation coalition party, he said, "I think there will be members of our party who are not running in constituencies and who will choose to participate in the proportional representation coalition party," adding, "It will be a process where each lawmaker voluntarily decides and moves."

Regarding the order of proportional representation candidates, he reaffirmed the existing position of placing Democratic Party candidates in the lower ranks.

Secretary General Yoon said, "We will place about seven seats, roughly the number we could gain if we independently nominated proportional representation candidates at the last lower ranks of the winning list." Regarding whether additional candidates will be nominated for the proportional representation coalition party separate from the previously announced Democratic Party proportional representation candidates, he replied, "There are no plans for additional nominations."

When asked about the starting order, he said, "Since it has not yet been finalized, I will not specify a number," and added, "If participating parties request fairness in the order allocation, we fully expect public opinion polls asking about support for the coalition proportional representation party."

He also reiterated that the Democratic Party's decision to participate in the proportional representation coalition party is not driven by a desire for more seats. Secretary General Yoon said, "Our party has clearly stated that we will not seek even one additional seat through the proportional representation coalition party," and added, "We intend to participate in forming the coalition party without any greed for increasing seats." Regarding the dissolution process after the general election, he said, "It will need to be discussed."

Secretary General Yoon also expressed that it is undesirable for independent lawmaker Sohn Hye-won and former lawmaker Jeong Bong-ju to be elected as candidates of the proportional representation coalition party. He said, "Some members of our party formed a new party, and small parties are trying to concede proportional seats, but if they intrude, it could be misunderstood as sneaking in through a side door, so we judge that it is not right for the Open Democratic Party to act as the platform party, and we are proposing this."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.